Bicycling & Shared Path Advisory Committee

Meeting Minutes Salem Bicycling & Shared Path Advisory Committee Wednesday, August 7, 2024 | 6:30 p.m. City Hall Annex 1st Floor Meeting Room & Via Remote Participation Members Present: John Wathne (Chair), Emmylou Manwill, Connor Ryan, Matt Caruso, Annie Wolf, Josh Nagle Members Absent: Colleen Downie, Walter Morrell, Paul Carson, Charlie Heaps, Cat Seiferth Also Present: Tom Devine, Senior Planner Call Meeting to Order Wathne calls the meeting to order. Public Comment Wathne opens the meeting to public comment and there is none. Staff Update Devine lets the Committee know about the 8/22/2024 public meeting for the redesign of Lappin Park. The Committee previously discussed bike parking at the park. Devine reports that there will be a feasibility study for improving the trail network around Highland Ave. Nagle states that 15 or so families took part in a promotional ride for the Bike Bus. Parents told Nagle that they would like additional separated bike routes and better connectivity. Some also suggested the Bike Committee do more public events. Ryan asks whether they suggest events for families or just adults. Nagle says there is interest in events for all. He thinks it would be valuable to have public rides to learn more about what people want for better bike infrastructure. Caruso suggests partnering with shops for clinics and to talk about the Bike Committee. Wathne remembers bike safety events that the police have held. Wathne wonders about bringing back the bike race around the Common. Nagle is interested in seeing the Bike Committee operate a bike valet at the September food truck festival. The group discusses logistics. Devine will identify the organizer and connect them to Nagle. 1 Devine reports that the first block of the Washington Street vision is out to bid. This includes an off-street directional bike path on the northbound side from Front St. to Essex Street. Bike Parking Ordinance The Committee tables this to the next meeting. Devine reports that they have learned through the review of the existing Bike Parking Guidelines has revealed that Salem has yet to look at accommodating the various e-bikes and scooters that have proliferated in recent years that require different bike parking than pedal bikes. Bike Storage in City Hall Annex Devine reports that his colleague Stacy Kilb has identified a product to replace the deficient bike racks in the City Hall Annex. As discussed at previous meetings, the current racks require bikes to be lifted, which is a challenge for people without substantial upper body strength. In addition, they don’t fit the full range and weight of many new e-bikes. The potential replacement product uses spring action to raise bikes, including heavier ones, with less human effort. The group is interested in seeing electric charging infrastructure as well and sees potential for this to be a model for other locations. Bikeshare Data and Program Updates Document references: • Supplement to the 2024 Lyft Multimodal Report • Salem Bluebikes Data through 7/31/2024, slide deck. Devine shares the above referenced Bluebikes data. He also describes Lyft’s rideability metric and provides monthly rideability data. A station is “Rideable” if that station or any of its neighbors within 400 meters is between 10% and 85% full as calculated by dividing the number of bicycles at the station by the number of functional docks at the station. “Station Rideability” means the quotient, expressed as a percentage, of the number of minutes between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. for which a station is rideable and the number of minutes between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. during which such station is open for use. Lyft’s goal for average station rideability is 91%. The group observes that the rideability number is highest during winter months with slower ridership and the value of stations, whether used heavily or not, are equally weighted. Members observe many times when particular stations are either empty or full. Therefore, the group is interested in seeing the more detailed data showing all the times that stations are empty or full and for how long. General ridership data show increasing ridership month over month, but a slight dip year over year. Devine suspects this is related to a decline in the number of bikes. 2 Devine states that the City was successful in obtaining a MassDOT Shared Streets & Spaces grant to support operating costs and to replenish lost bikes. Caruso asks if lost bikes are simply a loss to the City. Devine says fees charged to riders responsible for a lost bike cover the cost to replace approximately 25-30% of the lost bikes and the City is responsible for the cost to replace the remaining. E-bikes have a lower rate of loss because they have GPS and the electric assist turns off when a paid ride ends. The group reiterates that it remains interested in seeing e-bikes added to the system. Salem Pantry Ride for Food Wolfe updates the Committee on a fundraising ride for the Salem Food Pantry. It is in Dedham, but Wolf is interested in doing something more local too. Public Surveys for Marblehead Bike Plan and Manchester Bike Friendly Community Application Devine has shared links with the Committee to the two public surveys. Toole Design Group, who led Salem Bike Master Plan, is doing Marblehead’s. And Manchester is going through the same process Salem did to be designated as a Bike Friendly City. Ryan notes that the surveys are short and easy to complete. Meeting Minutes Ryan motions and Caruso seconds to approve the 1/3/2024 and 3/6/2024 meeting minutes and all vote in favor. Adjourn Caruso motions and Ryan seconds to adjourn at 7:41 pm and all vote in favor. *** Approved by the Bicycling & Shared Path Advisory Committee on 1/8/2025. 3